November checklist
- Check the burn code status before you light a stove or fire
- Keep firewood off the ground, covered on top, away from the house
- Set up snow service before the first storm
- Have hazardous or hanging limbs removed
- Keep Zone 0 clear of leaves and needles
- Know the emergency steps: 911, NV Energy, then the tree service
- Water on thawed, snow-free ground above 40 F
Most trees are bare, which makes this a good time to see their structure, but storms can arrive with leaves still on some species. Mean temperatures fall again, to 43.8 F at the Reno airport and 41.4 F at Carson City.
November weather at five stations
Snow rises to 1.8 inches at the Reno airport, 1.6 at Minden, 0.7 at Carson City and 0.3 at Fallon. Precipitation is 0.90 inches at Carson City, 0.62 at the Reno airport and 1.91 at Glenbrook. Mean lows drop to 28.4 F at Carson City and 22.8 F at Minden.
| Station (elevation, ft) | Mean temp (F) | Precip (in.) | Snow (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport (4,410) | 43.8 | 0.62 | 1.8 |
| Carson City (4,761) | 41.4 | 0.90 | 0.7 |
| Minden (4,709) | 39.8 | 0.79 | 1.6 |
| Glenbrook (Tahoe) (6,350) | 39.3 | 1.91 | no normal |
| Fallon (3,965) | 40.2 | 0.43 | 0.3 |
Station normals, not town averages. NOAA flags Glenbrook's temperature normals as reduced completeness and publishes no snowfall normal there.
What the trees are doing
Trees are going dormant. Roots are still working while the soil is open. Evergreens carry snow, and a storm that arrives before all leaves have dropped loads the crown more than a bare tree would.
Jobs that fit November
Hazard removal, dead wooding and cabling proposals fit the month. Live-wood pruning of most deciduous trees is better left to late winter. If a tree leans or a limb hangs over a roof, call for an assessment before the first heavy storm: see warning signs before a tree fails. In an emergency, call 911 if anyone is hurt; if a power line is involved, stay away and call NV Energy; then call 775.232.8243.
Burn code, firewood and snow
Washoe County's code runs November 1 to the end of February, with green, yellow and red days set by Northern Nevada Public Health. Check the status and your device's rules. Buy and burn firewood locally: Don't Move Firewood advises buying firewood where you will burn it, and Nevada restricts uncertified wood from quarantined areas. For snow, we offer plowing, hauling, shoveling and salting. Ask whether your address is on the route. See burn codes and the Nevada firewood rules.
Valley versus lake
Glenbrook's 1.91 inches of precipitation is more than double Carson City's 0.90 inches. Different rules apply in the Tahoe Basin. Our 24-hour emergency line is 775.232.8243, and the phone is staffed seven days a week. Estimates for planned work are free.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (Reno airport USW00023185, Carson City USC00261485, Minden USC00265191, Glenbrook USC00263205, Fallon Exp Stn USC00262780) (pulled October 17, 2026)
- Northern Nevada Public Health: Wood-Burning Devices (read October 17, 2026)
- Don't Move Firewood: Nevada (read October 17, 2026)
- NV Energy: Trees and power lines (read October 1, 2026)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Should I Water my Trees in the Winter? (Jensen, 2026) (read October 17, 2026)